Fame hits every citizen-turned-celebrity in different ways.
So far, Aly Raisman remains the humble, under-the-radar girl from Needham we all knew her to be, despite gaining more Kerri Strug-like popularity by the minute.
Here is what Raisman told Metro three weeks ago, when asked what she was thinking when she originally qualified for the games. It matches up very well with what she’s saying today:
“I was kind of overcome with emotions,” Raisman told Metro’s Cassandra Garrison. “We were all so excited and so happy. It was like a sigh of relief because I had been thinking about it for so long. In the months leading up, I was so anxious. At the same time, it was a mixed feeling because the nerves came back again, because I know I have to compete in London and it’s going to be a tough competition, and I want to do as well as I can for my country.”
After capturing team gold Tuesday, Raisman told Sports Illustrated:
“I was just hoping that we had won,” she said. “I hadn’t been keeping track of the scores, but I was just so proud of all these girls…. I just wanted to finish up on a strong note for Team USA.”
Raisman’s focus will be a bit more selfish Thursday (tape-delay NBC, 8 p.m., 11:30 a.m. ET Live), as hard a thought as that may be for the selfless 18-year-old. She is going for her first individual gold in the All-Around Final and could once again be in a heated battled for glory with her own teammate, this time, Gabby Douglas.
